


No More Demons, Just You And Your Wings

by cheesecloth



Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU, Coffee, Destiel - Freeform, Don't worry, F/M, Fluff, Lifeguard!Castiel, M/M, No one drowns, Pining, Romance, brief angst, everyone is human, sam and dean aren't hunters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-06
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-10-28 17:36:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10836063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheesecloth/pseuds/cheesecloth
Summary: “You know, it’s like nothing interesting ever happens anymore.”“Gabriel, you shouldn’t wish for people to drown just so that you could be entertained.”





	1. Introduce Me To Your Wings

“You know, it’s like nothing interesting ever happens anymore.”

 

“Gabriel, you shouldn’t wish for people to drown just so that you could be entertained.” Castiel scolded.

 

His brother scoffed and Castiel looked to the sky for mercy. He only had four more hours until his shift ended. A splash of water and giggling interrupted his thoughts and he looked around the pool.

 

The water park’s guests were surely enjoying themselves today. His observant stare watched everyone submerging under the carefully chlorinated body of water always resurface with smiles.

 

It was his duty as a lifeguard to care for his temporary charges. Watch out for them. Rescue them from any unpleasantness. Even if said unpleasantness was spilled soda on the sidewalk. But more importantly, it was his duty to make sure everyone was safe.

 

A duty in which his brother Gabriel seemed to be abandoning, Castiel mused, as he watched the shorter man groan and head back to the employee’s lounge for the third time in twelve minutes.

 

He ignored this and watched his charges like a hawk. One of the guests, in particular, was acting rather hesitant.

 

He watched as the man in question, barely three feet in, place a careful foot forward. Unfortunately, that foot landed on a pool toy that was strictly forbidden to bring to the water park, since they could be dangerous if someone slipped on them-

 

A shout erupts and Castiel is pacing towards the flailing man, doing his best not to slip on the ground.

 

Besides the flailing guest who is quickly slipping under the water due to panic is a taller man. His worried face tells Castiel everything.

 

This hyperventilating man is not to be allowed in deep waters unsupervised. Or perhaps at all, judging by how wild his green eyes were every time he resurfaced.

 

He was close enough now to dive into the water. The taller man trying to hold the panicked guest up and keep him from falling prey to the shallow water.

 

Once Castiel caught a swinging arm, he pulled it towards him. The man attached to said limb quickly clung to him, and Castiel needed his pull buoy to keep them both afloat. He had drifted towards the deeper end of the pool, despite the taller man’s efforts.

 

With the help of the shaking man’s friend, they dragged him to the stairs, and then out of the water.

 

The poor trembling guy was coughing up water and holding tightly to his now-soaked shirt. He looked so small and scared, like a wet cat.

 

Castiel looked around and saw that everyone was staring at them worriedly, so he guided the two men into the employee’s lounge for privacy. He passed by his brother who had heard the commotion and was now on the phone. Likely with the water park’s emergency contacts. He wasn’t grinning anymore, even though he got the excitement he claimed he wanted not two minutes ago.

 

He sat the green-eyed man down and asked his friend to fetch him that close-by towel.

 

“O-of course! It’ll be okay Dean, you’re not in the water anymo-”

 

“The towel, please.” Castiel interrupted. This man, Dean, was still shaking. And not all of it was from the trauma.

 

“Yes, sir!”

 

Castiel briefly wondered at the formalities before focusing on Dean once more.

 

His eyes are far off, and he’s still hyperventilating.

 

“Dean.” Castiel tried. He reached out and gently held Dean’s face in his hands; cradling his face and staring into his glazed eyes.

 

He allows his voice to undertake a calm, soothing tone. “Dean, I need you to focus on me now. You’re out. It’s all right. Please focus on me.”

 

Dean’s eyes closed, and Castiel took it as a half victory. His grip on Castiel tightened but his breath seemed to be slowing down.

 

“That’s right. You can focus on my voice. I’m here, which means you’re safe now Dean. You’re safe,” Castiel’s thumbs were now circling slowly on Dean’s cheeks, trying to simultaneously warm him and bring him back. “Come back to me, Dean.”

 

Sluggishly, Dean’s eyes open, and he’s staring straight into Castiel’s soul. A shiver runs through him. Those were the most trusting eyes he’d ever seen.

 

The lifeguard smiled and he was rewarded with a slight nod. Dean was back.

 

And so was his tall friend. He was out of breath and extremely concerned, by the looks of him. He had a stone-hard grip on the towel he found and wordlessly wrapped it around Dean.

 

Dean looked up at his friend. “Hey, Sam.” His voice was a little course from his earlier yelling and quick breath.

 

Sam looks relieved and hugs his friend tightly. “Dean- holy shit I am so sorry, I should have known you still weren’t okay about-”

 

“Hey, c’mon Sam, you’re hugging me a bit tightly,” Dean choked out. Sam immediately relented his grip.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

Castiel had enough watching the two of them and stood from where he had been sitting beside Dean. “I assume you will take care of him until my supervisor arrives? I still have my shift to do,” He gestured towards the exit. “And my co-worker Gabriel will be inside shortly to check on you.”

 

Dean looked strangely disappointed, but Sam nodded.

 

“Yes! Yes. And thank you so much!”

 

It was a wonder Sam even thanked him at all. It was his duty after all.

 

A look back down to Dean who had that far off look again and he sighed. He rested a hand on Dean’s shoulder, hoping he wasn’t intruding.

 

“Once my supervisor talks to the both of you, I believe you should go home and get some rest.”

 

Sam nodded in agreement, and Dean looked up once more to Castiel. Remnants of that soul-piercing gaze shook through Castiel again. Those green eyes looked so grateful, yet so haunted. He hoped this man would find peace.

 

A reluctant smile to part and Castiel left back to the pool.

 

\--

 

“Holy shit Dean! I shouldn’t have dragged you along with me to the park today! I am so sorry Dean, I-”

 

“Sam, it’s okay. You didn’t know it would happen.” Dean rubbed at his face tiredly. He fell back onto his bed, clutching the nearby cover a little tightly.

 

“...Can I ask how it happened?”

 

Dean snorted. “Well it happened pretty quickly, didn’t it. It was barely deep at all in that pool, and I became a wuss.”

 

“Come on Dean,” Sam had that kicked-puppy look on his face again, “Don’t do that to yourself. What happened?”

 

There was silence for a moment, and then Dean’s voice broke it, a little quieter this time as he spoke. “It was because of that stupid nightmare.”

 

“Your nightmare again?”

 

“Yeah, Sam! The one I keep having! Where I’m pulled down into...I don’t know, a weird sort of hell by these fucking ugly demon things and-...when I went into that pool, I felt like I was in my dream again. Like the water turned to blood, and I was sinking like it was quicksand.”

 

They both sighed. Dean’s had this recurring hellish nightmare for years. It had never affected his waking life until recently, a couple months ago. Ever since then, he’s had panic attacks and he withdraws himself for days at a time.

 

However, seeing as Dean nearly drowned this time, no matter the depth of the pool, he supposes his brother doesn’t want to be alone. In fact, the way he clung to that lifeguard…

 

Sam moved to hug him again. Dean offered little resistance, and they clung to each other for a few minutes. They never really got this. Their pride always holding them at arm’s length or further. But Dean really needed this right now. Heck, so did Sam.

 

“Shit!”

 

Sam jumped. He pulled out of the embrace and stared at his brother. “What?”

 

“I don’t even know his name! And-”

 

“And what? Who?”

 

“Dude, he was like an angel! And trust me, I know some demons. I never even thanked him for saving my life!”

 

“Oh, the lifeguard? Hey, Dean, it’s okay. I thanked him for the both of us. You were in a bit of a shock.”

 

Dean growled. “So?”

 

“And really Dean, an angel?”

 

This time, instead of growing more aggressive, pink tinted his brother’s cheeks. “Oh shut up!”

 

“Make me.”

 

“Bitch.”

 

Smiles finally returned. “Jerk.”

 

They both decided to leave it at that, and get some rest.


	2. A Day Out With Friends Can Only Bring Us Closer

Days later, his friends all knew of the incident. Dean groaned. They were at their favorite café. Sitting in their own spots on the couches respectively, drinking variations of coffee, and tea for Dean. Sam had recommended it. Dean was against it at first, but then he realized, after being forced to drink it, that it really helped keep him calm. 

 

“So, can we hear about your angel again?” Jess asked with a slight smirk, perched on the arm of the couch beside his flustered brother. 

 

“My angel?” Dean feigned ignorance. He and Sam hadn’t even been the ones to tell them. Bobby really needs to keep his mouth shut. The old gossipy grump wasn’t here to chastise though, so he decided to ignore them. 

 

“Yeah. Black haired, blue-eyed angel. Tell us everything!” Jo grinned, leaving Dean sputtering. 

 

“How did you know he had black hair and blue eyes?” 

 

After a moment of only grins as their reply, Dean’s eyes narrowed and he glanced at his brother. Sam was looking away nervously and had the freaking gall to whistle awkwardly like he was in some 90’s sitcom. 

 

Now Sam may not have told them about the ‘angel’, but that didn’t mean he didn’t hold out on any of the details once asked by his girlfriend. 

 

“Fuck this. I’m getting coffee.” 

 

“No, Dean wait-”

 

Coffee was the answer, surely. He figured he needed the caffeine if he wanted to survive Jo and Jess’s questioning. He might become jittery after the café’s strong caffeine entered his system, but fuck it. 

 

He ordered his caffeine and took a satisfying sip of heaven. Content, he turned around on his heel and headed back towards his clique-

 

Just in time to smack into someone. 

 

“Woah! Holy shit! I’m so sorry buddy, I’m pretty clumsy. I might have spilled something, lemme get napkins, I’ll-” 

 

Oh. 

 

It’s him. 

 

It’s his angel- 

 

Not  _ his _ angel. Just angel. Dammit, Jess.

 

“H-hey! Um…”

 

No longer dazed, the lifeguard blinked and smiled. He looked relieved to see that Dean was in one piece still. 

 

“Dean.” His voice was deep but meltingly hot as it sparked up his spine. 

 

“Y-yeah, it’s me. That guy whose life you saved, heh.” 

 

The lifeguard blinked again, before smiling. “And I’d do it again,” he said while reaching for a tray of coffees as if he didn’t just squeeze Dean’s heart and let it soar after leaving the warmth of his hand. 

 

“Hah, fuck dude, wh-what’s with all the coffee? Real thirsty?” Dean rubbed the back of his neck shyly, internally smacking himself (like in a soap opera he totally doesn’t watch) at how stupid that sounded. 

 

“All the- Oh! Oh no! I must be going! I’m sorry Dean, it surely was a pleasure to see you again. Especially considering...I hope to see you again, of course, but I need to take these to work or my coworkers will have my head!”

 

He was hurrying out the door so fast, Dean almost didn’t get a chance.

 

“Wait!” Dean called, startling himself. 

 

The lifeguard paused at the door, and Dean hurried to him, worried he’ll never catch up to the angel again. He was wingless and slow, while this gorgeous man was quick and soaring in the sky. Unattainable. 

 

“Thank you.” 

 

“I- what?” 

 

Dean found himself timidly shuffling his feet. “I just...thank you, for what you did. You really saved me, bro.” He added, before cringing slightly. 

 

But it didn’t matter, because the angel was smiling again, and it was so warm, and Dean’s heart was melting. 

 

He was half out the door, so the bright sunlight shone around the lifeguard’s messy black hair; almost like a halo. It was breathtaking.

 

“See you, Dean.” 

 

Yeah. Cya, angel. 

 

Wait, his name! 

 

His-

 

The lifeguard was already in a cab before Dean could process anything. 

 

He stared at the closing door before shuffling back to his friends, his coffee no longer piping hot. 

 

He collapsed into his favorite chair and groaned. His friends and Sam looked up at him oddly. It was too late for him. 

 

He was smitten. 

 

He sits back comfortably and sips the cooling caffeine while thinking of his angel’s smile.  _ Not  _ his angel- whatever. Dean just couldn’t hold down that feeling. Of that radiant smile pulling him together. It made him feel a little less broken. 

 

Behind his coffee, Dean smiled. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's chapter two! Sorry, the chapters only get much shorter from here.


	3. Lifeguard Angels and their Coffee

“Here are your coffees,” Castiel said while distributing them to his coworkers. He checked them off in his head. 

 

Lattes for both Anna and Balthazar? Check.

 

Cappuccino with an odd addition of salt for Lucifer? Check. 

 

Fancy Ristretto for Michael? Check. The café never had Ristretto, but Michael didn’t have to know that. 

 

He hurried on to the last on his list. Borgia with extra whipped cream for Gabriel?...Gabriel? 

 

He glanced around the room for his mischievous friend and nearly threw the last two coffees in the air when Gabriel startled him from behind. 

 

The rest of the room was laughing quietly, but Castiel was not in the mood. He turned around and scolded Gabriel.

 

“I still have two coffees in my hand! I could have dropped them! If I did, Gabriel, I would have made you clean it all, along with the men’s bathroom today. I noticed that you cleverly took it off your work list.” Castiel said with just a hint of a threat. 

 

Gabriel immediately straightened and apologized profusely. 

 

Shaking his head, Castiel handed Gabriel his Borgia coffee. 

 

“Extra sugar?”

 

Castiel struggled not to outwardly sigh in front of Gabriel’s face. “Yes, I added extra sugar. Surely more than you need.”

 

Gabriel shrugs and almost downs the whole thing in one gulp. When he looks back up, he notices the thoughtful, far-off look on Castiel’s face. 

 

“Hey what’s up?”

 

Castiel blinks and looks down at him before sipping his own coffee. Satisfied, he gives into Gabriel’s curious pout. 

 

“I saw Dean today at the café-”

 

Immediately, Balthazar and Anna are on him. They join Gabriel in the newfound interrogation. 

 

“Woah, woah, woah! What happened? Tell us!” 

 

Castiel shrugs, but he can’t help but smile. “We just ran into one another. He looked much better. And as I left, he stopped me to ‘thank me for saving him’.” 

 

Anna and Gabriel begin to coo at him, which confuses Castiel. 

 

Balthazar groaned. “Why does Cassy get to have all the fun anyway? If I were there-”

 

Anna interrupted him, “ _ If _ you were there. Come on Balth! You were the only one who wasn’t on shift yesterday! I called Hannah, and guess where I found you?”

 

Balthazar prayed for mercy. “Sick at home?”

 

Anna grinned like a cat who just found an injured mouse to play with. “Do you want me to answer that?”

 

“No. Please, no.” 

 

Begrudgingly, Balthazar glanced at Castiel, who had an unimpressed frown on his face. He knew he wouldn’t turn Balthazar in. Balth knew that too. But he could still show his disapproval. 

 

Gabriel had a genuine smile on his face, surprisingly. “Well anyway, you did good Cass. That poor guy was a wreck. You guys should have seen him.”

 

“I heard he was a handsome wreck,” Anna interjected, grin still present. 

 

Castiel’s eyebrows raise in response. 

 

“C’mon Cassy,” Balthazar rejoined the interrogation, “was he hot? Anna said that even though she was far away, he looked like a hunk!” 

 

Castiel felt his cheeks warm. He cast his glance furtively at the ground as he recollected everything that Dean was. 

 

He heard his coworkers laughing at his expression, but he couldn’t focus on that. All he could think of was Dean’s gorgeous, trusting green eyes. His brown hair that curled slightly when wet. Those warm cheeks that he held when he tried to bring him back to reality from whatever hell cursed his mind. The spark of a smile at the café that struck Castiel down from his very core. 

 

“C’mon Cass! Tell us!” Gabriel exclaimed loudly, causing Lucifer and Michael to glare at them from the corner they were hiding in so they wouldn’t be told to head back to their shifts soon. 

 

“He...has very lovely green eyes.” 

 

“And?” Anna asks curiously. 

 

“And?” Castiel asks back. 

 

“You gotta give us more than ‘he has very lovely green eyes’, Cassy.” Balthazar scolded lightly. 

 

Castiel snorted, giving in. “Fine. He’s about the same height as me. A little taller, maybe. He has brown hair that looks soft, when dry of course, and his face is sculpted like an ancient Greek statue.”

 

“Damn, I wish I saved him!” Anna grinned. 

 

“Cass has yet to mention how his face wasn’t the only thing that was sculpted like a god!” Said Gabriel.

 

Balthazar and Anna perked at this. 

 

Deciding to leave them hanging for something more important, Castiel shook his head. “I need to head out for my first shift today.”

 

He looked over to Michael and Lucifer, who grunted and both begrudgingly followed him. 

 

Castiel could still hear the three misfits behind them talk excitedly about Dean. 

 

Dean. 

 

That name would hang over Castiel’s mind for the rest of the day. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I get into the coffee a little too much. I don't even drink coffee....


	4. This Is A Good Thing

_ It’s that same nightmare. He’s in hell, and he’s burning this time. There is a fire licking dangerously from his feet to his ankles. The acrid smell of burning flesh reached him, and he screamed.  _

 

_ Suddenly there were sharp metal hooks digging into his hands. They connected to large chains, which began to pull opposite ways. They pulled at his arms, and the agony made him scream again. His voice was becoming hoarse, his hysterical mind noted.  _

 

_ But he screamed on. He began to scream for his brother, Sam. When that did nothing, he screamed for help. He asked for anyone to save him. Anyone. His screams transitioned into sobs, and then into screams again as another hook dug into his legs.  _

 

_ Just then, a bright white light descended on him. They were so bright, but he could still see through it to a figure. The figure was rather familiar, except for the bright wings made of light.  _

 

_ The figure came closer, and Dean realized he recognized those blue eyes. They were just so blue. The figure smiled warmly at him and reached out to him. As soon as his hand rested on Dean’s shoulder, he felt a sharp burn, and then relief. The relief sang throughout his entire being. There was no more pain. He looked around him and there were no more hooks.  _

 

_ The Angel pulled him into his arms and embraced him. It was when Dean was curled into this newfound warmth that he heard the Angel speak,” Focus on me, Dean. It’s all right, just focus on me now. You are saved, Dean. It is okay now.” _

 

“It is okay now.” Those words echoed as Dean awoke. He still felt warm. This was such a contrast from every other time that he woke up from his hellish nightmares. He always woke up cold and shivering. But now he was warm and he felt safe.

 

Later that morning, Dean cooked up some comfort eggs with a blinding smile that stopped Sam in his tracks.

 

“Dean?” 

 

“Yeah, Sammy?” 

 

Sam pouted at the nickname, but the curiosity still burned within him. 

 

“How are you holding up Dean? Did you have that nightmare again?” He asked cautiously.

 

Now normally, Dean would shrivel up and look grim and retreat into himself. 

 

But today was different. Dean was smiling at him. Dean was humming while making eggs. His shoulders were high, chin up, eyes sparkling.

 

Oh, today was definitely different.

 

“Actually Sam, I did have that nightmare. But it’s okay now.”

 

“.....What?”

 

Dean laughed and excitedly told Sam everything. It made Sam reel with so many emotions. He smiles at his excited brother, truly happy for him.

 

He’s stopped short, however, when Dean groans and buries his face in his arms. 

 

“Dean? I thought everything was okay?”

 

“It is...It’s just...I’m so totally screwed now, Sam! I’m...Well, I’m completely smitten over the guy, and I’ve only seen him twice!” 

 

Sam shakes his head, not so worried this time. “Well, it’s about time someone could save you from those dreams, Dean. This is a good thing.” 

 

Dean simply groans again. “He saved me, again. I’m so totally fucked.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha, whoops. I've been using Grammarly recently, and apparently I use,,, too many,,, commas,,,


	5. The End of the Beginning and Such

The next time they meet, neither of them expected it. 

 

It had been over a month, and Dean still couldn’t get the angel out of his head. But Sam’s words had rung true. This was a good thing. 

 

Dean had nightmares still, but the angel saved him every time. It had gotten to the point where the nightmares faded into actual dreams, and they were very nice.

 

It would often happen that they were on a bench, watching the world go by. Sometimes they’d stare at each other, sometimes he’d tell his angel a joke, and Castiel would smile at him. 

 

He didn’t know what his laugh sounded like, and it pained him that he couldn’t quite imagine it. 

 

Sam, the asshole he is, told Bobby. Dean knows that he did it out of the excitement of his nightmares finally changing, but now Bobby was asking him if he met his angel again yet. 

 

They both were relentless. Sam once asked if Dean wanted to  _ date _ the angel. The question had left Dean sputtering for the rest of the day. 

 

But Sam was surprised, the next day when Dean begrudgingly answered ‘yes’. 

 

Which led to how, when randomly bumping into one another on a sidewalk blocks away from the café, Dean asked the angel if he wanted to go on a date. 

 

He saw the shock in his eyes and was unable to form a response, so Dean’s shoulders slumped.

 

“Hey, no, it’s alright. We’ve only met each other twice and-”

 

“Yes!”

 

“What?”

 

The off-duty lifeguard in front of him looked startled by his own exclamation but stuck to it. 

 

“Yes, we should go on a date, Dean.” 

 

“O-oh! Yeah! We should! I haven’t been able to get you out of my head for a month,” Dean admitted. 

 

“It is the same for me, Dean.” He smiled at him. Again, the sun seemed to enshroud him, forming a misshapen halo that highlighted every feature that Dean almost thought he had forgotten. 

 

“Well, um, where do you want to go?” Dean asks, still star-struck as he couldn’t believe that his angel actually wanted to go out with him. 

 

“Would a burger place be alright?” 

 

“Holy fuck I think I’m in love with you already-” Dean slaps a hand over his mouth, his eyes wide. 

 

The angel, however, blinks at him, and laughs. The sound of it rocks through Dean, creating an imprint Dean could never forget. 

 

“Alright Dean, burgers it is. Perhaps we can stop at a bakery after? I have an order there to pick up. We can have that for dessert.”

 

“Hmm? What kind of order?”

 

“Ah, every Monday, I treat myself to their finest pie of the week. It’s a bit of a tradition that I used to have with my co-worker Gabriel since he has such a sweet-tooth...” The love of his life would have continued talking, if it weren’t for the shocked look on Dean’s face.

 

“Dean? What’s wrong? If you don’t like pie, it’s fine, we can perhaps get something else.”

 

“....’Don’t like pie’......” Dean was incredulous.

 

“So...you  _ do _ like pie?”

 

“Yes! Pie is my favorite! We are so getting pie!” 

 

“Okay, pie it is.” His lovely smile was back, and Dean felt as though his heart would burst.

 

“That’s it, we’re getting married!”

 

“Married? Dean, we’ve met only recently.” The angel was amused now, and also a little charmed by the wide grin on Dean’s face. It was quite similar to an ecstatic puppy. 

 

“I don’t care! The first date we have, you ask if we can have burgers and pie! We’re getting married!” Dean was very close to jumping in excitement. But then, he frowned and cupped his chin thoughtfully with his thumb and index finger. “But…one thing before all that happens.”

 

The angel huffed at the sudden change. “Yes, Dean?”

 

“What’s your name? I never exactly had the time to ask-”

 

Castiel inched closer to his new date, a hint of a growl underlining his voice. “You, Dean, are what I’d call an ‘assbutt’.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading my fic! Hope you enjoyed it! Feel free to give kudos or/and comments? I know I'm desperate, but hey, ,,
> 
>  
> 
> Sorry the chapters were so short!

**Author's Note:**

> Have any questions for me? Any suggestions? Please contact me at: flufficient.contact@gmail.com
> 
> Hey, so like, I haven't written anything in a while, and I wanna change that! So here was some Destiel fluff! I've had this idea forever, so I thought I might as well try, right? I hope you enjoyed it!


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